For an unknown reason, NFL history has robbed the Redskins dynasty of the 1980s and early 90s of the recognition it deserves. But the real question is, why?

NFL fans remember the Packers championship teams of the 60s, the Steelers of the 70s, the 49ers of the 80s, the Cowboys of the 90s, and the Patriots of the present day. But no one remembers the Joe Gibbs-led Redskins.

From 1982 to 1991, the Redskins appeared in four Super Bowls and won three of those games, and in each game, they won with a different starting quarterback and a different starting running back.

Not content with one of the most successful coaching careers in NFL history, Gibbs created his Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR team in 1992. The team has won three Sprint Cup championships since 2000 with stud drivers like Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart.

At this Sunday’s Daytona 500, the Joe Gibbs Racing Crispy M&M’S #18 car will return to the track after a 10-year absence, piloted by Kyle Busch.

We spoke to Coach Gibbs about flourishing in both sports, the upcoming Daytona 500, his relationship with Jack Kent Cooke, and why he thinks his success with the Redskins has been largely ignored. You can listen to the interview via the audio player or read the full transcript below.

Let’s talk about Crispy M&M’S making their return to the track after a 10-year hiatus, kind of like you making your return to the Skins the second time.

Just about the same; I was 11 years, Crispy’s been out 10 years. We’re excited to have them back. And on Sunday’s Daytona 500, every time that Toyota Camry comes off the corner with Kyle Busch driving it, it’s going to be bright green and it’s gonna represent the return of Crispy. So we’re excited about that and I’m excited to be part of the M&M’S team.

You’re an absolute titan in two of the biggest sports in North America, in the NFL and NASCAR. It’s almost like you’ve lived two different lives, really. What’s it been like for you?

I realize I’m one of the most fortunate people in the world. Because rarely does anybody get to have a dream as an occupation, and I’ve had two of them. It’s a thrill for me. I know how fortunate I am and I appreciate being a part of two great sports.

And what I’ve found, is they are very similar, football and racing. Amazingly, they’re almost exactly the same because it’s what? It’s people. It’s picking people, putting them on a team and getting them to sacrifice their individual goals for the goals of the team. It’s teamwork. And that’s a big part of life. I’m thrilled to be a part of the M&M’S team and it’s a thrill for us to race in a place like the Daytona 500 this Sunday.

Can you talk about (former Redskins and Lakers owner) Jack Kent Cooke and what it was like to work with him?

Mr. Cooke I think was a great owner, and for this reason: Many times he had a strong opinion. He’d stick that finger out and say, “You need to do this.” But what he always said before I left the meeting was, “But it’s gotta be your decision; you decide.” Many times, if I did something and it turned out to be he was correct, he’d definitely let me hear about it. But Mr. Cooke always said to me, “It’s gotta be your decision; you make the decision.”

The other thing about Mr. Cooke, he was always at his best when things were at their worst. He would come in, he would visit me, I figured he was going to be upset when we’d be going through a bad streak of losses and he would say to me, “Hey Joe, we’re going up and we’re going down together.” He had a favorite saying: “I’m going to lay down and bleed a while, and then we’re gonna get up and fight again.” He was special, I think, for me, just like Dan Snyder was the second go-around for me. I had two great owners.

Inadvertently, the above shirtless NASCAR fan, with a canister of what we can safely assume is “Purple Drank,” a southern beverage of choice, dangling from his loins, summed up the entire three-day NET10 Wireless NASCAR event.

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Bullz-Eye spent three days in Charlotte, North Carolina and immersed our senses in the intricacies of both NASCAR and the #FreedForSpeed lifestyle of NET10 Wireless. It was the fastest three days we’ve ever experienced.

Day 1

Within 20 minutes of getting to the hotel, I was in the lobby meeting the group of fellow drivers. 10 minutes later, we headed to Charlotte Motor Speedway to drive a NASCAR under the tutelage of the Richard Petty Driving School. Once we got there, we ate a tremendous lunch.

We were fitted with some fire retardant driving suits (Who you calling a retardant?) and met NET10 Wireless Camping World Truck Series driver German Quiroga, who gave us an idea of what to expect on the track.

Then, we went through a safety briefing lead by our Crew Chief. It was in-depth and complex, and though appreciated, I zoned out for most of it and dreamed about having the fastest MPH in the class.

I have never been a NASCAR fan. For a guy who loves sports, I knew more about curling than I did NASCAR. I could never understand why watching cars making hundreds of laps was so popular.

Then I attended the 2014 Daytona 500 in Jacksonville, Florida courtesy of Lowe’s and my life changed. I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve watched each of the ensuing races in Phoenix and Las Vegas, intently. We interviewed 21-year old rookie Kyle Larson since then and my respect for him, and the sport, is through the roof.

Prior to meeting Jimmie Johnson, I had no frame of reference for his level of success or how historically dominant he has been working alongside Crew Chief Chad Knaus.

It was only after someone aptly explained that Knaus is the Bill Belichick to Johnson’s Tom Brady (though they’ve been twice as successful in terms of championships) did I realize how much they’d accomplished as a team. Here’s Jimmie and I, laughing about our favorite recipes:

After I met and briefly interviewed Johnson, I was fortunate to be invited into the Lowe’s pit for the start of the race.

The thing that impressed me the most was the sound. When you’re standing in the pit, you hear this groaning sound in the distance, like a gathering thunderstorm, and then all of the sudden… BOOM! The entire field explodes right in front of you, a mix of colors and shapes that you can barely discern. Then, they’re gone again and the sound dissipates to a low hum.

What were you doing when you were 21 years old? For NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Larson, the answer is driving the #42 Target Chevrolet, going head to head with NASCAR legends like Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart.

“Being only 21-years old, I get to race against a lot of guys who have been racing since I was a toddler,” said Larson regarding his rookie season. “It’s neat to race those guys, especially Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. It’s going to be a lot of fun, but hopefully I can beat them.”

Larson made his Sprint Cup Series debut in last week’s Daytona 500 and was slowed early on, finishing 38th. But he followed that up with a 20th place finish at Phoenix this past weekend.

A rookie hasn’t won a Sprint Cup race since Joey Logano in 2009. Then again, no rookie has been hailed by both Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart as a can’t-miss prospect.

The Elk Grove, California native has gone from being a local driver to a Sprint Cup driver in just two and a half years.

“I started racing when I was seven. I think it’s a lot tougher now to get to the top level because there are so many kids who are good and sponsors are hard to come by, so you definitely have to catch all the right breaks and I do think you have to start when you are young. You almost have to start out when you’re five to seven years old.”

Speaking of youth, one of Larson’s favorite aspects of being affiliated with Target is the work he does with kids.

Professional race car drivers inspire awe in most people as they whip around the track at speeds that would make most people lose their minds. It is not a sport for the faint hearted. There are, however, several professional drivers who have inspired fans on a special level with their accomplishments over the years in unique ways. Here are five of the most inspirational race car drivers.

Alessandro “Alex” Zanardi
As an Italian race car driver, Zanardi had a respectable career with two CART championship titles in the late 1990s. He also participated as a Formula One driver. However in 2001 he suffered a horrific crash that resulted in the amputation of both of his legs. Less than two years after the accident, he returned to racing and competed in the FIA World Touring Car Championship. Even more famously, he switched sports and went into handbiking, which is a type of cycling for the Paralympics. In this sport he won gold and silver medals at the 2012 London Paralympics. He is a wonderful example of perseverance in spite of adversity.

Ayrton Senna da Silva
Sadly, Senna was the last driver fatality in Formula One when he was killed in an accident during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, but his legend lives on and continues to inspire many, especially in his native Brazil. Senna made his Formula One debut in 1984, and he won three Formula One world championships during his career. He is popularly considered one of the greatest Formula One drivers in the history of the sport. He also was victorious during the Monaco Grand Prix six time, which continues to be a record. The sheer number of his accomplishments is extraordinary and warrants him mention.

Michael Schumacher
This German race car driver is also popularly regarded as one of the best drivers in Formula One history and statistically is one of the best the entire sport has ever known. He holds numerous records including the most number of championships, points scored, victories within a single season, fastest laps, race victories, and more. In 2002 he gained notoriety for finishing in the top three in every race of the season (and thus gaining the most consecutive podium finishes), the only driver in Formula One history to have done so. He is also known for his involvement with various charities and donations millions of dollars. He is another example of what can be accomplished with the incredible intersection of talent and hard work.

Danica Patrick
One of the most famous names in racing, even among people who do not follow the sport, Patrick has carved a name for herself as the most successful woman in the sport. She is the only woman to have ever won a race in the IndyCar series, and placed third at the Indianapolis 500, which was the highest finish by a woman. She won a NASCAR Spring Cup Series pole as well, the first female NASCAR driver to have done so. She has also been the fastest pole qualifier to successfully qualify for the Daytona 500 since 1990. She is inspirational because of her ability to overcome stereotypes and compete on a level that previously no woman had successfully achieved.

Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton
This British Formula One driver was the youngest to ever sign a contract that resulted in a Formula One drive in 2007. He is also considered the first black driver in the Formula One series, and was the first black driver to win any major race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He is the holder of numerous records, and finished second in the 2007 Formula One Championship, but went on to win the World Championship the next year. He accomplishments at such a young age as well as being a trailblazer in the sport for people of different ethnic backgrounds are two great reasons to be inspired by this young Brit.

Each sport produces athletes and competitors which offer fans and the rest of the population someone to admire. They overcome adversity, achieve amazing goals, and persevere even when the cards seem stacked against them. Race car driving is no different. These five competitors have inspired many who follow the sport of racing around the world.